Gibbs Sampling using Anti-correlation Gaussian Data Augmentation, with Applications to L1-ball-type Models

L1-ball-type priors are a recent generalization of the spike-and-slab priors. By transforming a continuous precursor distribution to the L1-ball boundary, it induces exact zeros with positive prior and posterior probabilities. With great flexibility in choosing the precursor and threshold distributions, we can easily specify models under structured sparsity, such as those with dependent probability for zeros and smoothness among the non-zeros. Motivated to significantly accelerate the posterior computation, we propose a new data augmentation that leads to a fast block Gibbs sampling algorithm. The latent variable, named ``anti-correlation Gaussian'', cancels out the quadratic exponent term in the latent Gaussian distribution, making the parameters of interest conditionally independent so that they can be updated in a block. Compared to existing algorithms such as the No-U-Turn sampler, the new blocked Gibbs sampler has a very low computing cost per iteration and shows rapid mixing of Markov chains. We establish the geometric ergodicity guarantee of the algorithm in linear models. Further, we show useful extensions of our algorithm for posterior estimation of general latent Gaussian models, such as those involving multivariate truncated Gaussian or latent Gaussian process. Keywords: Blocked Gibbs sampler; Fast Mixing of Markov Chains; Latent Gaussian Models; Soft-thresholding

Boolean-Based Surface Procedure for the External Heat Transfer Analysis of Dams during Construction

The external heat transfer of dams during construction is complex because such transfer is location specific and time varying. An external thermal model is developed in this paper. Five types of external heat flux are considered in the mathematical model: air-side convection, electromagnetic radiation, absorbed solar input, water-side convection, and surface insulation effect. A method for extracting and classifying the external surfaces of dams on the basis of Boolean operations is proposed. Heat transfer conditions can be automatically set up for each step according to the proposed method, and the method can be used as a preprocessing facility for finite element analysis. A 285 m high arch dam in Southwest China is examined as a study case. The model is implemented and found to correctly identify different types of external surfaces. Simulation result agrees well with the monitored temperatures

The psychometric properties of the quick inventory of depressive symptomatology-self-report (QIDS-SR) in patients with HBV-related liver disease

Background: Comorbid depression in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is common. Developing accurate and time efficient tools to measure depressive symptoms in HBV is important for research and clinical practice in China. Aims: This study tested the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR) in HBV patients. Methods: The study recruited 245 depressed patients with HBV and related liver disease. The severity of depressive symptoms was assessed with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the QIDS-SR. Results: Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.796 for QIDS-SR. The QIDS-SR total score was significantly correlated with the MADRS total score (r=0.698, p. Conclusions: The QIDS-SR (Chinese version) has good psychometric properties in HBV patients and appears to be useful in assessing depression in clinical settings

M2-like macrophages in the fibrotic liver protect mice against lethal insults through conferring apoptosis resistance to hepatocytes.

Acute injury in the setting of liver fibrosis is an interesting and still unsettled issue. Most recently, several prominent studies have indicated the favourable effects of liver fibrosis against acute insults. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms governing this hepatoprotection remain obscure. In the present study, we hypothesized that macrophages and their M1/M2 activation critically involve in the hepatoprotection conferred by liver fibrosis. Our findings demonstrated that liver fibrosis manifested a beneficial role for host survival and apoptosis resistance. Hepatoprotection in the fibrotic liver was tightly related to innate immune tolerance. Macrophages undertook crucial but divergent roles in homeostasis and fibrosis: depleting macrophages in control mice protected from acute insult; conversely, depleting macrophages in fibrotic liver weakened the hepatoprotection and gave rise to exacerbated liver injury upon insult. The contradictory effects of macrophages can be ascribed, to a great extent, to the heterogeneity in macrophage activation. Macrophages in fibrotic mice exhibited M2-preponderant activation, which was not the case in acutely injured liver. Adoptive transfer of M2-like macrophages conferred control mice conspicuous protection against insult. In vitro, M2-polarized macrophages protected hepatocytes against apoptosis. Together, M2-like macrophages in fibrotic liver exert the protective effects against lethal insults through conferring apoptosis resistance to hepatocytes

Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis of Direct Acting Tensioner of an Offshore Floating Platform

The offshore floating platform is the key equipment in offshore and gas development. The significant heave motions occur with the excitation of wind and waves, which will affect the safety of a riser system. A direct acting tensioner can be applied to reduce the effects on the riser system and be widely used on different kinds of offshore platforms. Based on the analysis of the structure and working principle of a direct acting tensioner (DAT), the nonlinear dynamic performance of DAT riser system was studied. Additionally, the dynamic model of the DAT riser system is established and the dynamic response was gained by the numerical integration method. The differences of dynamic responses were compared between a linear model and a nonlinear model. The response on different side of the equilibrium position is asymmetric because of the nonlinear stiffness of DAT. The results can be helpful for the design of DAT